Right now, changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding in ways like never before. These changes are posing challenges that must be taken seriously by humanity. We have yet to entirely walk from the shadow of the pandemic, but new traditional security risks are already emerging. The weak and faltering global economic recovery is compounded by a widening development gap. While governance deficit in areas like climate change has hardly been addressed, new issues such as digital governance are also vying for attention. Against this backdrop, what security concepts does the world need? How can countries achieve common security? These are the questions of this era facing us all.
The choice made by China is clear-cut. President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) on April 21, 2022, which upholds the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, pursues the long-term objective of building a security community, and advocates a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. The GSI embodies the core tenets in the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, and has been warmly received by the international community upon its introduction. Over 80 countries and regional organizations have expressed their appreciation and support.
On February 22, 2023, China officially releases The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper. The concept paper expounds the core ideas and principles of the GSI, which are:
1. Stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security;
2. Stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries;
3. Stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter;
4. Stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously;
5. Stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation;
6. Stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains,
identifies the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation, and demonstrates China’s sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and firm resolve to defend global security. The concept paper lays out 20 priorities of cooperation, all highly action-oriented.
What does security mean for our human beings? In my view, it is majorly a sense of stability and certainty—you expect the society functions smoothly and need not to be subjected to danger and harm often. Security is not an entity, which is nowhere to be seen, but there is no substitute for it. When we have it, we take it for granted. But once damaged, it will struggle to recover. As China timely publishes this concept note, I would like to make some observations about the GSI:
First, the GSI draws wisdom and experience from the fine traditional Chinese culture that attaches great importance to peace and stability, and is in accordance with China’s independent foreign policy of peace and its practices. China upholds the principle of indivisible security, advocating the indivisibility between individual security and common security. The legitimate security concerns of all countries should be respected. Countries should not seek absolute security at the cost of other countries’ core security interests. As for this matter, China has never started a conflict or war, or taken a single inch of foreign land. China remains the only country that has put the commitment to peaceful development in its Constitution. No matter how much it develops, China will never seek hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence, or engage in arms race, but remain a defender of world peace.
Second, the GSI emphasizes the United Nation (UN)’s central role in security governance. There is but one international system in the world, i.e. the international system with the UN at its core. When the UN Charter was launched almost 80 years ago, it embodied the institutional design of collective security and lasting peace for human beings. Today, the purposes and principles of it remain valid, as long as they are fully honoured by member countries. According to the Charter, parties “shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice”—military threat and actions are not the choice, but political settlement. This is genuine multilateralism. The Cold War mentality, unilateralism, bloc confrontation and hegemonism contradict the spirit of the UN Charter and must be resisted and rejected.
Third, the GSI focuses on tackling both traditional and non-traditional security challenges. Security is gradually becoming an ever-more comprehensive concept. Apart from direct military conflict, nuclear weapons, arms race, issues, such as global pandemic, data security, food security, supply chain disruptions, terrorism, and more importantly, climate change, which poses tangible, alarming threats to small island developing countries, are gaining ascendency. These problems, if not handled properly, would cause damages that are even more destructive than the “hot conflicts”. The holistic, sustainable solutions to non-traditional security challenges entail global governance, and countries must make concerted efforts to find them. To this end, China will continue advancing international cooperation on counter-terrorism, disaster relief, climate change, public health, among others, combat transnational organized crime, and contribute its share to tackling non-traditional security threats.
Fourth, the GSI corresponds with the Global Development Initiative (GDI) that was also proposed by President Xi, aiming at building a global community of development. The GDI puts development first and the people at the center, and seeks to expedite the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. I take this opportunity to specially applaud the Grenadian Government for both supporting the GDI and joining the Group of Friends of GDI to share the opportunities for development. This is also beneficial to implementing the Transformation Agenda of the Grenadian Government. Security and development are twins. Only by achieving lasting world peace, can all countries enjoy a peaceful and stable external environment and their people live a happy life with their rights fully guaranteed. Therefore, China will stand with fellow developing countries and make all-out efforts to advance the GDI. Together, we will sound the clarion call for common development and establish fast tracks for development through cooperation.
Fifth, the GSI provides principles for practice and chart the course for action. The GSI identifies not only the concepts and principles for, but also the path and approach to addressing global security deficits. China believes in promoting peace through talks. Support should be extended to the parties involved to settle their disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation. Guided by its emphasis on addressing both the symptoms and root causes, its call for the involved parties to meet each other halfway, and its pursuit of fairness and justice, China has made unremitting efforts for the political settlement of hotspot issues.
In this regard, I give special attention to the Ukraine crisis, of which the international community is watching the developments closely. China is deeply worried about the escalation of the conflict and a possible spiral out of control. Since the outbreak of the crisis, China has taken an objective and impartial stance based on the merits of the issue. As the full escalation of the Ukraine crisis reaches its one-year mark, the Chinese Government has formulated and released China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis to comprehensively and systematically outline China’s basic position and propositions. The document covers 12 aspects, namely, respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and prisoners of war, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction. China will continue to promote peace talks, contribute its ideas for a political settlement of the crisis, and join the international community to promote dialogue and consultation, address the concerns of all parties and seek common security.
As an old Chinese saying goes, long as the journey is, we will reach our destination if we stay the course; difficult as the task is, we will get the job done if we keep working at it. The world is still far from the collective security, but human beings are walking towards that direction hand in hand. The GSI, following the principle of openness and inclusiveness, welcomes and looks forward to the participation of all parties to jointly enrich its substance and actively explore new forms and areas of cooperation. Let us set aside differences, eye on the well-being of our offspring, and join hands together to build an even better community with a shared future for humankind.
